Humor Quote by Tom Robbins
““The problem starts at the secondary level, not with the originator or developer of the idea but with the people who are attracted to it, who adopt it, who cling to it until their last nail breaks, and who invariably lack the overview, flexibility, imagination, and, most importantly, sense of humor, to maintain it in the spirit in which it was hatched. Ideas are made by masters, dogma by disciples, and the Buddha is always killed on the road.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Still Life with Woodpeckers by Tom Robbins, 1980
Ideas often become rigid when followers lack perspective, flexibility, and humor, turning original concepts into dogma that can be destroyed by their own followers.
In simple terms: Followers can turn ideas into rigid dogma without humor.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate flexibility and humor when adopting ideas.
Themes
flexibility
humor
dogma
leadership
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- organizational change
- education reform
- social movements
- technology adoption
Key Concepts
perspective
imagination
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you maintain humor while championing an idea?
- What checks prevent dogma in your community?
A Different Perspective
Ideas may still evolve if followers remain open and critical.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
